Daylily plant named &#39;Double Pardon Me&#39;.

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hemerocallis  cultivar of the dormant type is provided. The new cultivar is very floriferous and forms attractive ruffled double red flowers displaying substantial substance, and a funnel-shaped form over an extended period of time. In U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6b, blooming commonly begins during mid- to late-June and commonly ends during early- to mid-September. The new cultivar displays a plurality of fans and a plurality of scapes per fan. The flowers well withstand rain in view of the strength of the tepals. The new cultivar readily can be distinguished from the ‘Pardon Me’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) in view of the consistent display of a substantially greater number of tepals per blossom. The new cultivar is particularly well suited for growing as distinctive colorful ornamentation in the landscape.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Hemerocallis hybrida/Daylily

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Double Pardon Me

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant of the dormant type, and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name ‘Double Pardon Me’.

The new cultivar of the present invention originated in a production block among ‘Pardon Me’ Hemerocallis plants growing near West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The ‘Pardon Me’ plants growing in the block had been asexually reproduced by division. A single plant of the new cultivar was removed and isolated from the block and was thereafter preserved and studied in order to determine its possible characterization as being a new and distinct cultivar. It has been concluded as a result of this study that the new cultivar of the present invention is a spontaneous whole plant mutation of the ‘Pardon Me’ cultivar of unknown causation. It further has been determined that the new cultivar can be consistently distinguished from the ‘Pardon Me’ cultivar through the display of a dissimilar highly attractive inflorescence. More specifically, the new cultivar upon study and observation was found to reliably form a significantly greater number of tepals per blossom than the ‘Pardon Me’ cultivar. It was determined that the new ‘Double Pardon Me’ cultivar consistently forms eighteen (18) tepals per blossom, while the parent ‘Pardon Me’ cultivar displays exclusively single blossoms having only six (6) tepals. This finding with respect to the characterization of the new cultivar has been additionally observed during a number of subsequent growing seasons prior to the release of the new cultivar to the public.

It was found that the new Hemerocallis plant of the present invention is of the dormant type and:

-   -   (a) forms attractive ruffled double red funnel-shaped flowers         having substantial substance,     -   (b) possesses a long blooming season with substantial repeat         blooming,     -   (c) exhibits a propensity to readily display a plurality of         fans, and     -   (d) readily forms a plurality of scapes per fan over the         flowering season.

In U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No 6b blooming commonly begins during mid- to late-June and commonly ends during early- to mid-September. the blossoms well withstand rain in view of the strength of the tepals.

As indicated, the ‘Double Pardon Me’ plant exhibits attractive ruffled bright rosy pink flowers that readily can be distinguished from the parent ‘Pardon Me’ by the double nature of the blossoms. In all instances the blossoms of the ‘Pardon Me’ cultivar are single.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division has been carried out near West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. More specifically, a clump of the new cultivar was removed from the field and the fans were divided. It has been demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are well retained following this asexual reproduction.

The ‘Double Pardon Me’ plant has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light, day length, contact with pesticides, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph was prepared during July 2004 and shows as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character, typical foliage, floral buds in various stages of development, and fully open blossoms of the new cultivar of the present invention. The illustrated plants were being grown outdoors in containers near West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The double nature of the attractive red blossoms is apparent. The fully opened blossoms depicted in the photograph had undergone some fading.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors described herein is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. In some instances, more common color terms are provided and are to be accorded their usual dictionary significance. A one-year-old plant is described while growing outdoors in a container during June near West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.

-   Plant:     -   -   Height.—Approximately 33 cm at an age of one year.         -   Width.—Approximately 50 cm at an age of one year.         -   Foliage.—Form: single stem, substantially erect fan-shaped             base having narrow arching, long, keeled, grass-like             glabrous slightly textured leaves that are two-ranked at the             base of the scape. — Quantity: abundant, with a mature plant             commonly having approximately 18 leaves per fan. — Leaf             Size: commonly approximately 1.5 cm in width on average, and             approximately 30 cm in length on average. — Leaf Shape:             linear and long-keeled with entire margins. — Texture:             glabrous. — Color: Yellow-Green Group 146A. — Type: dormant             with the leaves commonly retaining little or no green             coloration during the winter in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No.             6b.         -   Scape.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 146B. — Length: commonly             approximately 25 cm on average.         -   Disease tolerance.—Generally comparable to that of ‘Pardon             Me’ cultivar. When conditions of stress are encountered             (e.g. absence of water) during the hot humid days of summer,             some leaf streaking has been observed. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Bud.—Form: modified oblanceolate. — Size: on the day prior             to opening commonly approximately 5 cm in length on average,             and approximately 1.5 cm in width on average. — Opening             Rate: commonly approximately three hours on average. —             Peduncle Character: rigid and sturdy. — Peduncle Color:             Yellow-Green Group 144B.         -   Flower.—Size: commonly have a diameter of approximately 9 cm             on average and a depth of approximately 5 cm on average. —             Borne: singly on the branchlets of a sturdy erect rachis. —             Blooms Per Scape: commonly approximately 1 or 2 each day. —             Tepalage: each flower consists of eighteen (18) tepals             regularly arranged around the perianth. This can be compared             to six (6) tepals for the ‘Pardon Me’ cultivar. — Outer             Tepal Shape: oblanceolate with slightly ruffled or undulated             entire margins and an acuminate apex. — Outer Tepal Texture:             slightly ribbed. — Outer Tepal Size: commonly approximately             5.5 cm in length on average and approximately 2.5 cm in             width on average. — Outer Tepal Color: upon opening             generally Greyed-Purple Group 185A with Yellow-Green Group             151A at the base. — Inner Tepal Texture: ruffled edge. —             Inner Tepal Size: commonly approximately 5 cm in length on             average and approximately 1.5 cm in width on average. —             Inner Tepal Color: upon opening generally Greyed-Purple             Group 185A with Yellow-Green Group 151B at the base. —             Blooming Habit: the flowers commonly bloom substantially             continuously and the scape commonly is substantially             continuously in bloom for up to approximately 90 days per             year in Hardiness Zone No. 6b. — Effects of Weather: the             flowers commonly well withstand rain damage in view of the             strength of the tepals. — Lasting Quality: commonly at least             16 hours. As with other Hemerocallis cultivars, the flower             color eventually fades somewhat during the day with the             natural effects of environmental conditions and ongoing             maturity. — Fragrance: none.         -   Reproductive organs.—none encountered during observations to             date.         -   Fruit.—none encountered during observations to date. -   Hardiness: Based on the parentage and observations to date cold     tolerance is anticipated in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Nos. 5a, through     8b. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant of the dormant type, substantially as herein shown and described, which: (a) forms attractive ruffled double red funnel-shaped flowers having substantial substance, (b) possesses a long blooming season with substantial repeat blooming, (c) exhibits a propensity to readily display a plurality of fans, and (d) readily forms a plurality of scapes per fan over the flowering season; substantially as illustrated and described. 